Techniker Krankenkasse has joined the Selective Contract of the German Pathologists Organization, which means it will soon begin paying for gene expression tests for its breast cancer patients. Only tests with the CE Mark -- such as MammaPrint -- will be reimbursed, according to Agendia.

MammaPrint uses a 70-gene expression profile to classify patients with early-stage breast cancer as having a low or high risk of recurrence, the company said. Oncologists and breast surgeons use the information provided by MammaPrint to guide personalized treatment strategies.

Reimbursement across Germany for gene expression tests for all breast cancer patients is still pending, Agendia noted. The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care is reevaluating all gene expression tests, including MammaPrint, and is expected to provide an update at the beginning of 2020, according to the company.